Acne

Natural Help for Acne

One of the most common misconceptions about acne is that it's caused by dirt. It's not! Acne is caused by a combination of factors you can't control, like your hormone balance and the natural pace of your skin's renewal system. When oil gets collected and hardens in the pores of the skin then blackheads are formed. Oily skin not only attracts dusts, but also continuously shed the dead cells. Dirt, oil, sweat and make up tend to plug and block the pores. The blocked pores become infected, resulting in pimples, and further causing acne prone skin.

Causes:
  • Hormones
  • Excess Sebum or skin oil
  • Follicle fallout and clogging
  • Bacteria
  • Inflammation
  • Constipation
  • Too much fat, soda, and sugar in the diet
  • Not enough water intake
  • Go here, to learn even more about the causes of Acne:  www.thankyourskin.com/what-causes-acne

The Do's and Don'ts to preventing Acne:
  • Do eat better: Avoid eating food with heavy fats, oils, and sugars. Drink plenty of water (half your body weight in ounces) Eat raw, whole foods, including fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
  • Don't over wash: Since dirt does not cause acne, excessive scrubbing and washing won't make them go away. Habitual over-washing may stimulate extra oil production and dry out or irritate the skin. Try to limit yourself to 1-2 washes a day.
  • Don't use alcohol: Avoid products with high concentrations of isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) The alcohol strips the top layer of skin, causing the sebaceous glands to produce more oil.
  • Do shower immediately after you exercise or have worked hard enough to produce a sweat: Until you shower, heat and moisture are trapped against the skin, causing a perfect breeding ground for bacteria.
  • Don't use harsh Scrubs: It's okay to exfoliate, but don't use products with large grains, like Almond or Apricot shell fragments. These products can irritate or tear your skin, further aggravating acne. Use a gentle formula, with small, smooth grains.
  • Don't pick or squeeze: Picking or squeezing your blemish, with your fingernail, pin, tweezers, etc., can force the bacteria deeper into the skin and damage the surrounding skin, causing scars.
  • Don't touch your face: The bacteria that causes acne (Propionibacterium) is always on your skin. It does not cause acne until it gets trapped inside the hair follicle. Excessive touching of your face can drive the bacteria into the pores.
  • Do start treatment before acne gets severe. It is always easier to take care of something before it gets out of control. If you wait, acne can spread and can cause physical and emotional problems down the road. Start good habits now.
Natural Helps:
  •  A diet change and a cleanse is a must.
    ~Eat raw, whole foods.
    ~Drink plenty of water.
    ~Do a Liver Cleanse.
    ~A Colon Cleanse or Colonics can be very effective in detoxing the system to help clear acne.
  • Wash your face every night with the following mixture:
    5 drops Tea Tree
    2 drops Rosemary
    2 cups warm water
    ½ tsp. Epsom Salts
    Pat with a dry, clean cotton towel
  • Can also make a Steam tent:
    Pour 2 Cups Boiling Water over the following oils:
    3-6 drops Lavender
     3-6 drops Chamomile
    With a towel, make a tent, and allow the steam to come up onto your face for 5-8 minutes.
    Gently pat your face dry with a towel.
  • Can also add 5 drops Lavender, 2 drops Tea tree, and 2 drops Palmarosa to 2oz. Water. Put mixture in a spray bottle and shake and spritz areas with acne throughout the day.
  • Apply Tea Tree, with a Q-tip directly to a particularly harsh blemish.
  • If Tea tree is not enough, apply Thyme...As a nighttime treatment, 1 drop Thyme to 10 drops Olive oil. Use internally, 2-3 drops in a capsule, filled with carrier oil, 2-3x daily, until acne condition balances.